Sewing machine attachment for cutting seam binding



April 14, 1959 J. M. HOFFEE 2,881,833

' SEWING MACHiNE; ATTACHMENT FOR CUTTING SEAM BINDING Filed Sept. 14,1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 \g INVENTOR.

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J. M. HOFFEE April 14, 1959 ACHMENT FOR CUTTING SEAM BINDING SEWINGMACHINE ATT Filed Sept. 14, 1955 W 4 r A 6 x .n G F 0 "N u I. J m k x 7M .U W 0 N M m w 1 k i.

2 ,3 6 M C Q 7 FIG. 8.

INVENTOR. JOSEPH M. game-E -r-roRN'aYs J. M HOFFEE 2,881,833

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR CUTTING SEAM BINDING April 14, 1959 sSheets-Shee t 5 Filed Sept. 14, 1955 I N VEN TOR.

uos EPH v M. HOFFEE BY ATTORHLYS United States Patent SEWING MACHINEATTACHMENT FOR CUTTING SEAM BINDING Joseph M. Hotfee, Nyack, N.Y.

Application September 14, 1955, Serial No. 534,367

2 Claims. (Cl. 164-175) This invention relates to accessories orattachments for sewing machines, and in particular relates to animproved attachment for severing seam binding material or other materialpassing through the machine.

In the garment manufacturing art, in order to sew seam binding to theedges of garments and the like, seam binding is fed through a sewingmachine from a continuous roll, and garments are successively fedthrough the machine by the operator in position to be successivelystitched to the seam binding. After a garment has been stitched to theseam binding, it is necessary for the operator to pick up anothergarment and feed it through the machine so that it can be sewn into theseam binding. It' is necessary to cut the seam binding betweensuccessive garments, so as to separate the garments from each other andso as to make the seam binding substantially co-extensive with thegarment edge to which it is sewn.

In accordance with this invention, a cutting device is attached to thesewing machine in a suitable position so that it may be actuated to cutthe seam bind-ing somewhat beyond the needle position at which it isstitched to the garment edge. Means are provided for automaticallyactuating said cutting means, said a-cuating means being responsive tosensing means which are adapted to sense the approach of a garment tothe cutting point, and the departure of said garment from said cuttingpoint, so

that the seam binding is cut flush with the leading and trailing edgesof the garment.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved cuttingdevice, operating on a scissors principle, which is efficient inoperation. If an ordinary scissortype mechanism is used, I have foundthat it takes a considerable amount of force to operate the cuttingmechanism properly. However, I prefer to actuate the cutting mechanismby means of a solenoid, which solenoid may be coupled in an electriccircuit with the sensing means. When a solenoid is used, means must beprovided for improving the efficiency of the cutting mechanism inresponse to the force exerted thereon.

Accordingly, I provide bearings between the adjacent surfaces of the twoscissor elements, proximate to their pivot, so that the two members ridemore freely relative to each other. In addition, I provide improvedmeans for spring tensioning the two cutting blades against each other ata point remote from the pivot point. An important feature of theinvention resides in the particular means which I provide for thusspring biasing the blades toward each other, and another importantfeature of the invention resides in the particular manner in which theblades are shaped so that they make substantial point contact with eachother in each position of the movable blade.

Another important object of this invention is to provide improvedsensing means and improved actuating means for operating the blades.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, instead l of providingautomatic sensmg means, the actuating means are controlled by a manualmicro-switch which is placed 2,881,833 c Patented Apr. 14,

so as to be readily accessible to the operator for closure thereof atthe proper time.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description, in conjunction with the annexed drawings inwhich preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the improved attachment, showing also aportion of the sewing machine upon which the attachment is mounted.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the attachment.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2, showing in particular thesensing means.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. N

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the attach: ment, showingdetails of the cutting blades.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electric control circuit ofthe attachment.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, similar to Fig. 1, of a secon embodiment ofthe invention, showing a manually operated micro-switch for controllingthe operation of the cutter.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation, similar to Fig. 2, of the secondembodiment, and is partially broken away. Fig.9 also shows schematicallythe electric control circuit of this embodiment.

First embodiment My improved attachment includes a base plate 10 whichis adapted to be fixed to the sewing machine table (not shown) by meansof screws 11 or other suitable fasten ing means. The exact manner ofmounting the attachment is not important, as long as the parts of theattachment are located properly in relation to the needles and presserfoot of the sewing machine. Fig. 1 shows somewhat diagrammatically thedouble needles 12 of the sewing machine, and the presser foot 13 of thesewing machine. Said presser foot 13 is mounted upon the sewing machineshaft 14 by means of set screws 15 or the like. Said needles 12 and saidpresser foot 13 are operated in the conventional manner by the sewingmachine to perform the usual stitching operations upon the seam bindingtape 16 and the successive garments 17a and 17b. In particular, thearrow designated by the reference numeral 18 shows the direction inwhich the tape 16 and the garments 17a, 17b, etc., are fed. Arrow 18 isassumed to point from front to rear.

It will be apparent that the tape 16 may be fed in the front to reardirection of arrow 18, by any suitable means (not shown). In thefollowing description, it will be as sumed that the successive garmentsor the like 17a and 17b are fed successively into the front of themachine, by the operator, and are carried by the machine front to rearin such a manner that the two needles 12 stitch the tape 16 to thegarment along parallel lines of stitching 19. However, it will beunderstood that the exact manner in which the garments are fed does notform a part of this invention.

As is best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, a conventional solenoid 20,including a solenoid coil 21, is mounted upon the upper face of plate 10by means of spacer sleeves 22 and screws 23, or by any other suitablemeans. Said solenoid 20 includes a plunger 24 which operates along alateral axis. When solenoid coil 21 is energized, plunger 24 is adaptedto be moved from right to left, as taken in Figs. 1 and 2.

A frame 25 is mounted upon plate 10, to the left of solenoid 20. Thisframe 25 includes a front arm 26, a rear arm 27, a right longitudinalarm 28 and left longi- 0 tudinal arms 29 and 32. Said frame 25 isgenerally rectangular in shape, as viewed in top plan (Fig. 1). Arm

of longitudinally elongated and longitudinally spaced slots 30. Ann 28is optionally secured to plate by means of screws 31 which respectivelyextend through slots 30, so as to permit longitudinal adjustment offrame relative to plate 10 and also relative to the presser foot 13. Asa result, when plate 10 is mounted upon the sewing machine table, it ispossible to locate the cutting blades of the attachment in the desiredlongitudinal position behind presser foot 13.

The shape of front arm 26 is best shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2,said arm 26 is optionally stepped downwardly at 26a to the left of plate10, so that the upper face of arm 26 and plate 10 become approximatelycoplanar. As best shown in Fig. 3, the left arm 29 is fixed to the leftend of arm 26 and is substantially planar. On the other hand, arm 27 issharply stepped upwardly at 27a, adjacent the end of plate 10, so thatarm 27 is elevated substantially above the height of arm 26 and arm 29.The short arm 32 is fixed to the left end of arm 27 and extendsforwardly for a short distance therefrom. The front end of arm 32terminates in a forwardly downwardly inclined bracket arm 33 which islocated above arm 29 and adjacent the rear end of arm 29.

The garment-sensing means include a mirror 34 fixed to the top of arm29, and a photo-cell unit 35 fixed to the front face of bracket arm 33.Said photo-cell unit 35 is a conventional unit and has a pair of bores36 and 37 which respectively extend forwardly and rearwardly downwardly,terminating at the bottom face of the unit 35, as is clearly shown inFig. 3. Photo-cells 38 and 39 are respectively located within bores 36and 37 and are adapted to receive light at their bottom faces. Saidphoto-cell 38 has appropriate leads 40 and 41 which are drawn up throughthe upper face of unit 35 and which are adapted to be connected in theelectric circuit of Fig. 7. Similarly, photo-cell 39 has suitable leads42 and 43.

Unit 35 has a central vertical bore in which a lamp unit 44 is located.Said bore 45 extends to the lower face of unit 35. Said lamp 44 hasinput leads 46 Mirror 34 is attached at its respective front and rearends to arm 29 by means of screws 47 or the like. Said mirror 34 haswings 34a which diverge downwardly from the center of the mirror to theend portions thereof. Lamp 44 is adapted to emit a beam of light 48downwardly onto the center of the upper face of mirror 34 and hence uponthe respective wings 34a. Accordingly, reflected beams of light 49 arerespectively directed up wardly into the respective bores 36 and 37 andhence upon the respective light receiving faces of photo-cells 38 and39. Accordingly, if unit 35 is in operation, the cells 38 and 39 arerespectively energized unless material passes over mirror 34 and hencesimultaneously blocks the passage of light between the lamp 44 and thecells 38 and 39.

The knife The fixed knife blade 50 is fixed to plate 10 slightly behindarm 26, by means of screws 51 or the like. Said blade 50 is preferablymade in a single piece and includes a head portion 52 which is attachedto plate 10 by means of the aforesaid screws 51. Said blade 50 extendsto the left from its head 52 and has a rear cutting face 53. The upperedge 54 of said face 53, which is the actual cutting edge of the blade,is inclined slightly downwardly from right to left. Said face 53 isslightly undercut, as viewed in Fig. 4, to make certain that the movableblade makes contact with the fixed blade substantially only at saidcutting edge 54.

Movable blade 55 includes a generally horizontally extending cuttingblade arm 56 and a generally vertically extending arm 57 integral withsaid arm 56 at the right end thereof. Said blade 55 is pivotallyattached to the rear face of head 52 of fixed blade 50, at the junctionarea of arms 56 and 57.

In order to attach blade 55 pivotally to blade head 52, a bore 58 isprovided in head 52, and a throughand-through bore 59 of increaseddiameter is provided in blade 55. This is clearly shown in Fig. 6. Astud 60 has a head 61 located rearwardly of blade 55, a shank 62extending frictionally turnably through bore 59, and a screw-threadedshank extension 63 which is adapted to be screwed into thecorrespondingly screw-threaded bore 58. In this manner, shank 62 abutsagainst the rear face of the blade head 52, and the front face of head61 is spaced from the rear face of head 52. Shank 62 is slightly longerthan the thickness of blade 55 so that blade 55 has a limited amount ofplay between the proximate faces of shank 62 and head 52.

A plurality of ball bearings 64, optionally three in number, are partlyturnably located in appropriate recesses 65 in the front face of blade55, to the right of pivot shank 62, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and asshown in Figs. 5 and-6. These balls 64 bear turnably frictionallyagainst the rear face of the blade head and reduce the force required toturn blade 56 relative to the fixed blade 50. These balls 64 arepreferably vertically spaced, as shown in Fig. 5.

Screw 66 has a head 67, a shank 68 and a screwthreaded shank extension69 of reduced diameter which is adapted to be screwed into acorresponding screwthreaded recess in the rear face of head 61. In thismanner, head 67 is spaced from head 61.

A bracket comprising a lateral bracket arm 70 and a longitudinal bracketleg 71 is mounted upon shank 68. Bracket leg 71 extends forwardly fromthe right end of bracket arm 70. Arm 70 has an opening 72 through whichsaid shank 68 extends. Leg 71 abuts the right face of head 61, andbracket arm 70 extends to the left of screw 66, as viewed in Figs. 1 and2.

A strong tension spring 73 made of suitable metal includes a right armportion 74 which has an opening 75 through which shank 68 extends. Thisarm portion 74 is slightly inclined rearwardly from right to left, andits right end abuts the upper face of head 61. Said arm 74 is located infront of and in longitudinal registration with bracket arm 70.

A generally U-shaped bracket 76 includes a vertical rear leg which restsagainst the rear face of bracket arm 70, and top and bottom horizontalguide arms 77 which respectively extend above and below and forwardly ofthe side edges of bracket arm 70 and spring arm 74. A threaded screwshank 78 extends forwardly through an aperture 79 in bracket 76 and isscrewed into and forwardly of an appropriate screw-threaded aperture inbracket arm 70. The front edge of said shank 78 abuts the rear face ofspring arm 74, to the left of shank 68, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be apparent that the tension of spring 73 may be adjusted byturning screw shank 78 in the appropriate direction. The screw head 80is spaced rearwardly of bracket 76 and a tensioning coil spring 81,which is mounted upon shank 78 between bracket 76 and head 80, serves tokeep the screw from working loose from vibration.

Said spring 73 extends forwardly from the left end of spring arm 74, tojoin the left spring leg portion 82 which bears against the rear face ofblade 55. A screwthreaded stud 83 extends through an opening 84 which isformed in spring arm 82. This opening 84 is elongated in the directionof length of spring arm 82. Said stud 83 is screwed into an appropriatescrew-threaded recess in blade 55, to serve as a guide to maintainspring 73 in registration with blade 55.

Said spring 73 serves to urge the outer end of blade 55 forwardly so asto provide effective blade contact during the cutting motion.

The lower face of blade arm 56a is optionally and preferably slightlyconvex in the direction of its length as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and isalso slightly rearwardly upwardly inclined, as shown in Fig. 4, so thatthe front cutting edge 56b of said cutting surface 56 makes substantialpoint contact with the cutting edge 54 of the stationary blade 50.

As shown in Fig. 6, in the normal position of the movable blade (shownin Fig. 5 and in other views), the cutting edge of the movable bladeoverlaps the cutting edge of the fixed blade, as viewed from above, sothat the two cutting edges make point contact near the pivot point ofthe blades. During the cutting action, the point of contact movesprogressively outwardly toward the free end of the blades, until therespective blade surface 53 and the rear face of blade 50 about eachother at the conclusion of the stroke. During this cutting action, theright end of blade 55 (where the bearings 64 are located) tends to movetoward the blade face 53 of blade 50, but the action of bearings 64prevents binding at this point. The action of screw shank 78 upon springlegs 74 and hence upon head 61 prevents loosening of screw 60. Thebracket arm 71 and the bracket arms 77, as well as pin 83, preventspring 73 from shifting out of alinement relative to screw 78 or blade55.

The front end of plunger 24 is coupled to the right face of uprightblade arm 57 by means of a suitable compression spring 85 which isconnected to the two members by any suitable means. As a result, duringthe letter operating stroke of plunger 24, arm 57 is forced to the leftand blade arm 56 is forced downwardly, in the cutting action. A returnspring 86 is connected between the top of the frame of solenoid 20 andthe top of arm 57, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that when the solenoidis deenergized said spring 86 returns blade 55 to its position of Fig.2, in the right or return stroke of plunger 24.

It will be apparent that this construction provides an extremelyefiicient cutting action of the blades. In the cutting stroke, cuttingedges 56b and 54 makes substantially only point contact in each positionof the movable blade. The use of the bearings 64, in addition to thispoint contact, makes it possible to drive the movable blade in itscutting stroke with relatively little force, and yet to provide anefiective cutting action upon the cloth of the tape 16. Furthermore, thespring 73 acts to hold the blades close together, against the action ofthe tape 16 and also tends to prevent the bearings 64 from binding.

' A cloth guide 87 is attached to the front face of block 52, by meansof screws 87a, and extends vertically and laterally. Forwardly of block52, said guide is provided with a rearwardly extending lower flange 88which is spaced slightly above the fixed knife blade 50 as shown in Fig.4, but which does not extend quite as far as the plane of the front faceof the movable blade 56. This prevents any cloth being fed into theattachment from riding up over the movable blade and requires the clothto move in a path between the two blades.

The electric circuit As shown schematically in Fig. 7, the attachment iswired to provide a pair of input leads 90 and 91 which are adapted to beconnected to a suitable source of a1- ternating current. Optionally, oneof said leads 90 is connected by fuse 92 and manual switch 93 to afurther lead 94. Said lead 94 is connected to a further lead 95 and saidlead 91 is connected to a further lead 96. These leads are connectedacross the primary 97 of a transformer, and the leads 46 of lamp 44 areconnected .to the respective ends of the secondary 98 of saidtransformer. Accordingly, lamp 44 is in operation whenever switch 93 isclosed. Lead 95 is connected to one end of solenoid coil 21, and relayswitch 99 is connected between the other end'of solenoid 21 and saidlead 96. Accordingly, when the relay switch 99 is closed, coil 21 isenergized.

'Line 91 is also connected through line 96 to one side of a voltagedoubler and line 94 is also connected to another side of said voltagedoubler. Said voltage doubler includes a pair of crystal rectifiers 100and 101. The negative terminal of rectifier 100 is connected to line 96,and the positive terminal of rectifier 101 is connected to line 96. Apair of condensers 102 and 103 are connected in series between thepositive terminal of rectifier 100 and the negative terminal ofrectifier 101 and line 94 is connected to the junction betweencondensers 102 and 103. Preferably, the source of alternating current is115 volts cycles. It will be apparent that nominally 230 volts DC.current are developed between the positive terminal of rectifier 101 andthe negative terminal of rectifier 101.

A filter resistor 104 and a filter condenser 105 are connected in seriesbetween the positive terminal of rectifier and the negative terminal ofrectifier 101. The positive line 106 is connected to the junctionbetween resistor 104 and condenser and the negative line 107 isconnected to the negative terminal of rectifier 101. Voltage dividerresistors 127, 128 and 116 are connected in series between lines 106 and107.

I preferably utilize in this circuit a twin triode 108 which containsplates 109 and 109a, grids 110 and 1100, cathodes 111 and 111a andfilaments 112 and 112a. Said filaments 112 and 112a are optionallyconnected in parallel, and leads 46 are connected by lines 113 acrosssaid filaments in order to provide the necessary filament current duringoperation of the device.

Plate 109 is connected through relay coil 114 and line 115 to thepositive line 106. Plate 109a is connected through relay coil 114a andline 115a to said positive line 106. The negative line 107 is connectedthrough resistor 116 and respective resistors 117 and 117a to therespective cathodes 111 and 111a. Accordingly, the plate voltage isdetermined by the voltage drop across resistors 127 and 128. Thephoto-cathode 39 is connected by lead 43 and resistor 118 to line 106,and is connected by lead 42 and variable resistor 119 to negative line107. Grid 110 is connected by line 120 to lead 42.

Similarly, photo-cathode 38 is connected by lead 41 and resistor 11811to line 106, and is connected by lead 40 and variable resistor 119a toline 107. Grid 110a is connected by line 120a to lead 40.

It will be apparent that the principle of operation of both halves oftube 108 is the same. Taking, for example, the left hand triode, it willbe apparent that resistor 118, photo-cathode 39 and resistor 119 serveas a voltage divider circuit, such as to tend to provide positive biason grid 110. On the other hand, the cathode resistor 116 serves toprovide a negative grid bias. Resistor 119 is optionally and preferablyadjusted so that when photocathode 39 is energized, the resulting gridbias developed across said resistor 119 opposes the cathode biassufficiently to provide a net grid bias which permits substantial platecurrent to flow. However, when photo-cathode 39 is inactive, so that nobias is developed across resistor 119, the negative bias developedacross resistor 116 is sufficient to prevent the triode from drawing anysubstantial amount of plate current. As a result, relay coil 114 isenergized only when photo-cathode 39 is energized.

Similarly, relay coil 114a is energized only when photocathode 38 isenergized.

Fig. 7 shows the relay contacts in their positions when photo-cathodes38 and 39 are not energized. In this condition, the movable contact arm121 associated with relay coil 114 engages the fixed contact 122, andsimilarly the fixed movable relay contact 121a associated with relaycoil 114a engages the fixed contact 122a. The fixed contacts 123 and123a respectively associated with coils 114 and'114a are open. Themovable contact 121 is connected by line 124 to the negative line 107.The movable contact 121a is connected by line 125 to one terminal of anauxiliary relay coil 126. The aforesaid relay switch 99 comprises therespective fixed and movable contacts associated with relay coil 126,which are normally open. The other terminal of relay coil 126 isconnected to the junction between resistors 127 and 128. Contacts 122aand 123 are connected by line 129. Contacts 122 and 123a are connectedby line 130.

In the position of Fig. 7, line 125 is not connected to line 124,because contacts 121 and 123 are open, even though contacts 121a and122a are closed. Similarly, if both photo-cathodes 38 and 39 wereenergized, thereby closing contacts 121 and 123, closing contacts 121aand 123a, opening contacts 121 and 122, and opening contacts 121a and122a, line 125 again would not be connected to line 124. However, ifphoto-cathode 39 is not energized and photo-cathode 38 is energized,then contacts 121 and 122 are closed, and contacts 121a and 123a areclosed, so that line 125 is connected to line 124. A similar resultoccurs if photo-cathode 39 is energized and photo-cathode 38 is notenergized.

When line 124 is connected to line 125, current flows from line 106through limiting resistor 127, relay coil 126 and lines 125 and 124 toline 107.

It will be apparent, therefore, that relay coil 126 is energized wheneither of the photo-cathodes is energized, but is not energized whenboth photo-cathodes are energized or when both photo-cathodes are notenergized. When relay coil 126 is energized, relay switch 99 closes,solenoid coil 21 is energized, and the cutting operation takes place.

Relay 126 is a slow acting relay, so that it is energized suflicientlylong to permit the blades to complete their cutting stroke. However, itis deenergized sufiiciently soon to permit the blades to return to theirnormal position as soon as they have completed the cutting stroke.

Summary of Operation Fig. 1 shows garments 17a and 17b just after thebinding 16 has been cut at the rear edge of garment 17a. At thisinstant, garment 1711 has not yet reached the cutting attachment, andaccordingly neither of the light beams 49 are blocked, so that bothphoto-cells 38 and 39 are energized. In this condition, contacts 121 and123 are closed and contacts 121a and 123a are closed. As explainedabove, the electric circuit of relay coil 126 is not completed, relayswitch 99 is not closed and solenoid 20 is inactive. For convenience ofillustration, the spacing between garments 17a and 17b is somewhatexaggerated.

At the instant that garment 17]) passes over the front mirror portion34a, the light rays 49 to photo-cathode 39 are blocked, while the lightrays 49 to photo-cathode 38 remain unblocked. As a result, relaycontacts 121 and 122 are closed, and relay contacts 121a and 123a areclosed. This completes the circuit of relay coil 126, and solenoid coil21 is energized. As a result, blade 55 moves in its cutting strokealmost instantaneously and the cutting edges 54 and 56b sever the tape16 substantially at the leading edge of the garment 1711.

While the cutting stroke, or at least the return stroke, of blade 55 istaking place, garment 17b blocks the light of both photo-cathodes, andthe relay contacts 121 and 121a assume their positions shown in Fig. 7,in which the relay coil 126 is inactive. Therefore, while garment 17b ispassing over both mirror surfaces 34a of mirror 34 no cutting action canoccur. The instant that the trailing or front edge of garment 17b passesthe front mirror surface 34n photo-cathode 39 is energized. As a result,contacts 121 and 123 are closed, and contacts 121a and 1220: are closed.Relay coil 126 is energized and another cut takes place, severing thetape 19 substantially at the front ed e of garment 1712.

During the cutting stroke of blade 55, or at least during the returnstroke thereof, the front or trailing edge of garment 17b clears both ofthe mirror surfaces 34a and 34/), and both photo-cathodes 38 and 39 areagain energized, preventing further cutting action.

No additional cut can take place until the operator starts to feed thenext garment through the machine and this next garment first cuts offthe light from the front mirror surface 34a.

Second embodiment This embodiment is quite similar to the firstembodiment, except that the cutting operation is actuated manually bymeans of a micro-switch rather than automatically by means of thephoto-cathode unit shown in Fig. 3.

In the second embodiment, guard 87 has a curved extension 89 whichextends from the left end of guard 87 rearwardly past the scissorblades. An upstanding bracket 200 is fixed to guard portion 89 by anysuitable means. A micro-switch 201 is fixed to the left face (as viewedin Figs. 8 and 9) of bracket 200 by any suitable means.

Switch lever 202 is attached to the front of the housing of micro-switch201, by pivot means 203. Switch lever 202 is connected to pivot means203 so as to depend therefrom and so as to be turnable about a lateralaxis. Said micro-switch 201 is normally open. When the lower end oflever 202 is pushed rearwardly micro-switch 201 is closed. Upon releaseof lever 202, it is automatically moved forwardly to switch openingposition. Microswitch 201 is conventional and is not described indetail.

A laterally extending actuating bar 204 is attached to the front ofguard 87 by means of screws 205, 206. Screw 206 extends through theright end of bar 204 and is screwed through a suitable opening in guard87. Said screw 206 is provided with a suitable spacer shank to space itshead through guard 87. Screw 205 is similar to screw 206 except that itextends through bar 204 at a point slightly to the left of screw 206 andits shank is optionally slightly longer than the shank of screw 206.

Said bar 204 extends across and forwardly of switch lever 202. It willbe apparent that after a garment passes through a sewing machine alongwith tape 16, the operator need merely push bar 204 rearwardly in orderto engage lever 202 and push it rearwardly, thereby closing micro-switch201. Bar 204 is moved forwardly in the return stroke of lever 202.

One of the terminals of micro-switch 201 is connected by line 207 to oneterminal 208 of solenoid coil 21. The other terminal of micro-switch 201and the other terminal 209 of solenoid coil 21 are respectively adaptedto be connected by the respective lines 210 and 211 to a suitable sourceof electric current, preferably 60 cycles, volts.

As a result, it will be apparent without extended discussion that whenthe operator flips bar 204 rearwardly, solenoid 20 is energized to driveblade 55 in its cutting stroke. Since the operator only strikes bar 204momentarily, lever 202 immediately returns to its normal p0sition,carrying bar 204 back to its normal position, and thus preventing asecond cutting stroke.

While I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention and haveindicated various changes, omissions and additions which may be madetherein, it will be apparent that various other changes, omissions andadditions may be made in the invention without departing from the scopeand spirit thereof.

Iclaim:

1. A scissors comprising a first blade having an inner face, a pivotmember fixed to the inner face of said first blade, said pivot memberhaving a shank which abuts said inner face of said first blade and ahead of enlarged (11ameter which is spaced from said inner face of saidfirst blade, a second blade having an aperture through which said shankof said pivot member extends turnably, said inner face of said secondblade being located proximate to the inner face of said first blade,said inner faces of said blades having cooperating cutting edgesextending away from one side of said pivot member, the length of saidshank being slightly greater than the thickness of said second blade,anti-friction members mounted upon the inner face of said 2,ss1,sss

second blade adjacent the side of said pivot member which is opposite tosaid cutting edges, said anti-friction members slidably and frictionallyabutting the inner face of said first blade, a stud fixed to the head ofsaid pivot member and extending outwardly therefrom, an elongated bladespring having an aperture adjacent a first end thereof through whichsaid stud extends turnably, said first end of said blade spring abuttingthe outer face of said head of said pivot member, said blade springhaving a second end which abuts the outer face of said second blade at apoint spaced from said pivot member and opposite said cutting edge, andmeans mounted upon said stud which are positioned and adapted to bearagainst said blade spring intermediate its ends to maintain itfrictionally in its positions of abutment with said head of said pivotmember and said outer face of said second blade.

2. A scissors according to claim 1, said stud having a head of enlargeddiameter which is spaced from the head of said pivot member, saidlast-mentioned means comprising a bracket, said bracket comprising anarm having an aperture through which said stud extends, said arm havinga further screw-threaded aperture positioned opposite an intermediatepoint of said blade spring, and a screw threaded through said threadedaperture, one end of said screw frictionally abutting the outer face ofsaid blade spring, said screw holding said bracket arm in abutment withthe inner face of the head of said stud.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS826,587 Linscott July 24, 1906 1,885,754 Nachtigall Nov. 1, 19322,130,539 Feather Sept. 20, 1938 2,135,911 Ostberg Nov. 8, 19382,239,851 Lincoln Apr. 29, 1941 2,293,688 Allen Aug. 18, 1942 2,333,892Schubert Nov. 9, 1943 2,361,052 Patterson Oct. 24, 1944

